Method and apparatus for payment processing using debit-based electronic funds transfer and disbursement processing using addendum-based electronic data interchange

Abstract

This disclosure describes a payment and disbursement system, wherein an initiator authorizes a payment and disbursement to a collector and the collector processes the payment and disbursement through an accumulator agency. The accumulator agency processes the payment as a debit-based transaction and processes the disbursement as an addendum-based transaction. The processing of a debit-based transaction generally occurs by electronic funds transfer (EFT) or by financial electronic data interchange (FEDI). The processing of an addendum-based transaction generally occurs by electronic data interchange (EDI).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of accumulating a payment and processing a disbursement comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of: instituting the payment with disbursement information from an employee to a recipient through an employer;   transferring to an accumulator agency the payment and the disbursement information from the employer;   initiating by the accumulator agency the payment through a bank as a debit transaction;   transmitting by the accumulator agency the disbursement to a state as a first addendum transaction;   receiving at the accumulator agency disbursement transaction information from the state regarding the disbursement to the recipient as a second addendum transaction; and   executing by the accumulator agency the disbursement to the recipient.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: issuing an invoice for the disbursement to the recipient.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is a child support payment. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is an alimony payment. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is a payment on a judgment. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment is a payment on an attachment. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1, wherein the employee is a noncustodial parent. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient is a custodial parent. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing step further includes the substep of paying the recipient via one of paper check, direct deposit, and debit deposit. 
     
     
       10. A system for accumulating a payment and processing a disbursement comprising: an instituting component configured to institute the payment with disbursement information from an employee to a recipient through an employer;   a first transferring component configured to transfer to an accumulator agency the payment and the disbursement information from the employer;   an initiating component configured to initiate by the accumulator agency the payment through a bank as a debit transaction;   a second transmitting component configured to transmit by the accumulator agency the disbursement to a state as a first addendum transaction;   a receiving component configured to receive at the accumulator agency disbursement transaction information from the state regarding the disbursement to the recipient as a second addendum transaction; and   an executing component configured to execute by the accumulator agency the disbursement to the recipient.   
     
     
       11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: an issuing component configured to issue an invoice for the disbursement to the recipient.   
     
     
       12. The system of claim 10, wherein the payment is a child support payment. 
     
     
       13. The system of claim 10, wherein the payment is an alimony payment. 
     
     
       14. The system of claim 10, wherein the payment is a payment on a judgment. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 10, wherein the payment is a payment on an attachment. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim 10, wherein the employee is a noncustodial parent. 
     
     
       17. The system of claim 10, wherein the recipient is a custodial parent. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim 10, wherein the executing component further includes a paying component configured to pay the recipient via one of paper check, direct deposit, and debit deposit. 
     
     
       19. A method of processing a payment comprising the steps, performed by a processor, of: withholding by an employer a portion of an employee's salary for the payment;   sending from the employer the payment to an accumulator agency;   initiating by the accumulator agency the payment through a bank as a debit transaction; and   executing the payment from the bank through an ACH as a second debit transaction.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of: processing the payment from the ACH to an employer's bank as a third debit transaction.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of: dispatching a credit reflecting the payment from the ACH to an intermediary's bank for the benefit of an intermediary.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sending step occurs by an addendum-based FEDI transaction. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein the FEDI transaction comprises a cash concentration or disbursement plus addenda (CCD+) payment format. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 22, wherein the FEDI transaction comprises a corporate trade exchange (CTX) payment format. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21, wherein the initiating step occurs by a debit-base EFT transaction. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 21, wherein the initiating step occurs by an addendum-based FEDI transaction. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21, wherein the payment is a child support payment. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 21, wherein the payment is an alimony payment. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 21, wherein the payment is a payment on a judgment. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 21, wherein the payment is a payment on an attachment. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 21, wherein the employee is a noncustodial parent. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 21, wherein the recipient is a custodial parent. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 21, wherein the intermediary is a state. 
     
     
       34. A system for processing a payment comprising: a withholding component configured to withhold by an employer a portion of an employee's salary for the payment;   a sending component configured to send from the employer the payment to an accumulator agency;   an initiating component configured to initiate by the accumulator agency the payment through a bank as a debit transaction; and   an executing component configured to execute the payment from the bank through an ACH as a second debit transaction.   
     
     
       35. The system of claim 34, further comprising: a processing component configured to process the payment from the ACH to an employer's bank as a third debit transaction.   
     
     
       36. The system of claim 34, further comprising: a dispatching component configured to dispatch a credit reflecting the payment from the ACH to an intermediary's bank for the benefit of an intermediary.   
     
     
       37. The system of claim 36, wherein the sending component occurs by an addendum-based FEDI transaction. 
     
     
       38. The system of claim 37, wherein the FEDI transaction comprises a cash concentration or disbursement plus addenda (CCD+) payment format. 
     
     
       39. The system of claim 37, wherein the FEDI transaction comprises a corporate trade exchange (CTX) payment format. 
     
     
       40. The system of claim 36, wherein the initiating component occurs by a debit-based EFT transaction. 
     
     
       41. The system of claim 36, wherein the initiating component occurs by an addendum-based FEDI transaction. 
     
     
       42. The system of claim 36, wherein the payment is a child support payment. 
     
     
       43. The system of claim 36, wherein the payment is an alimony payment. 
     
     
       44. The system of claim 36, wherein the payment is a payment on a judgment. 
     
     
       45. The system of claim 36, wherein the payment is a payment on an attachment. 
     
     
       46. The system of claim 36, wherein the employee is a noncustodial parent. 
     
     
       47. The system of claim 36, wherein the recipient is a custodial parent. 
     
     
       48. The system of claim 36, wherein the intermediary is a state.